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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 27, 1867

Anti-Sunday Movements in Chicago.

The Germans of Chicago, opposed to Sunday laws, held a meeting in the Opera House, Aug. 17, at 8 P. M., to give expression to their sentiments on this question. After a number of harangues from different ones, the following resolutions were passed:

Resolved, That the Sunday and Temperance questions are not simply questions of personal like or dislike, but stern questions of principle, concerning civil and religious liberty.

Resolved, That the Constitution of the United States entirely ignores the idea of a State Church, and no State is privileged to pass a law which will compel the individual citizen to recognize any one day as sanctified because certain religious organizations see fit to do so.

Resolved, That the Declaration of Independence guarantees to us the pursuit of Happiness, so long as we do not thereby injure our fellow-citizens, and that no legislative body can deprive us of the privilege of selecting our own day to enjoy therein certain things which are lawful.

Resolved, That our experience in our old Fatherland in the matter of intermeddling of Church and State, has been such that we will not quietly tolerate their introduction into this, our adopted country.

Resolved, That we, who gave good proof of our loyalty to this Union during the recent war, also possess a positive right to make known our wishes at the ballot-box.

Resolved, That we most positively object to the self-assumed conclusion that because we are not inclined to become willing slaves in the yoke of the Puritanical nation of Sunday, we are therefore ungrateful children of our adopted land.

Resolved, That we also positively reject the idea that an adopted citizen has only the privilege of devoting his knowledge, muscle and life to his adopted country, and has no right also to exert his influence upon its customs, and endeavor to shape an influence that may soon govern the entire world.

Resolved, That, for these many reasons, we intend to enjoy the Sunday with our families in our usual way, and that we intend to partake of that which a God, more kind than the fanatic, has vouchsafed to us.

Resolved, That we will not deny others who differ from us the privilege of enjoying the Sabbath as they may see fit, and furthermore, we will do all in our power to see them protected, so long as their customs do not infringe upon the fundamental principles of universal freedom.

Resolved, That we firmly stand as one man by these declarations, and that no party considerations shall lead us to endorse a platform or vote for a man whose course will be in the least doubtful on these cardinal points; and we hope and believe, that in case such old fogyism should be inscribed upon the banner of either of the present political parties, that a new party of freedom will arise, to which we will join ourselves, and which will take up the question of personal liberty, so nobly vindicated by the abolition of slavery, and that will not set us back into a darkness and thralldom of soul more abject than the slavery of the body.

The resolutions were adopted amid uproarious and prolonged applause, after which the meeting adjourned.

—A circular issued by Messrs. D. Appleton & Co., states that since the first appearance of Webster’s Elementary Speller, some thirty-five years ago, not less than 40,000,000 copies have been printed. Its actual sales during the past year were over 1,596,000 copies—equal to 5,131 copies per day for the 311 working days in the year, or 513 per hour, allowing ten hours per day—making an average production of eight and a half complete books per minute, or one every seven seconds.